Hakkasan San Francisco, a 10,000-square-foot haven for contemporary Chinoiserie and fine Chinese dining, sets a new benchmark with its elegant design and sophisticated sense of space. Hakkasan tapped internationally-renowned Parisian design firm, Gilles & Boissier, to create a rich and sensuous interior. Hakkasan features a 25-seat curved bar; two private dining rooms; a main dining area, enclosed in latticed "cage" partitions filled with Chinese screens; and a 50-seat Ling Ling Lounge, a signature feature of Hakkasan. The prominent materials in the space are stone, glass, steel, dark stained oak, Calcutta marble, colored mirrors, silks and embroidered leather. Gilles & Boissier's careful utilization of lighting, organic textures and contrasting feminine and masculine elements help create a heady and evocative sensory experience.

courtesy Gilles & Boissier

courtesy Gilles & Boissier

courtesy Gilles & Boissier

courtesy Gilles & Boissier

Architect Juan Carlos Menacho designed the Toy Store “De La Cuna A La Luna“. Regardless of the age of the customer, when they walk in this toy store in Santa Cruz-Bolivia, they will be presented with a different world. The premises for this project were “coloring, animation, and imagination without limits, wild and indomitable, naturally bubbly and playful”, and once you are inside the toy store you can see all of this.

courtesy Juan Carlos Menacho

All furniture was conceived and designed for children whose height is about 1 meter (3.3 feet). This place is colorful and organic, with plenty of open space that encourage the small ones to move around and explore any object they wish.

courtesy Juan Carlos Menacho

The cases and shelves seem to dance, they move softly on the space and are light and playful. “De la Cuna a la Luna” is not just about toys. It also has a theater, a tea room, a juice bar, a soft corner, a reading room and an exercise area.

The beauty of the shop is based on the purity of design by architect Menacho. The sky folds on the ceiling of the shop, taking the form of a cloud that floats overhead. Special lighting allows for this illusion to happen with soft lights that give the impression of stars, changing the character of the store by bringing day and night. Juan Carlos Menacho brings with his design happiness and imagination to Santa Cruz’s architecture.

courtesy Juan Carlos Menacho

+ All images and drawings courtesy Juan Carlos Menacho